United CEO Apologizes to Passenger Dragged off Plane: ‘No One Should Ever Be Mistreated This Way’

United Airlines and its CEO, Oscar Munoz, reversed course late Tuesday, saying the airline takes “full responsibility” for forcibly removing a passenger from a flight from Chicago to Louisville.

“No one should ever be mistreated this way,” Munoz said in a statement.

On Monday, Munoz sent an e-mail message to employees about the incident in which he faulted the passenger, a physician named David Dao, for being “disruptive and belligerent.”

Tuesday’s tone was softer and followed a $1.4 billion drop in United’s share price.

“The truly horrific event that occurred on this flight has elicited many responses from all of us: outrage, anger, disappointment. I share all of those sentiments, and one above all: my deepest apologies for what happened,” Munoz said in the message on Tuesday.

“Like you, I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight and I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard,” he added.

The airline said it will review its policies for handling oversold flights, offering incentives for passengers to voluntarily take a later flight, and how the airline would work with local law enforcement agencies in the future.

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